Happily Ever After
by Scarlet Tabby
Summary: This story gives Frasier the happy ending he deserves. Takes place about 3 years after the series finale. Some drama, but lots of family fluff. Frasier/Lilith.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: I wrote this entire enormous story as one long continuous narrative, but I broke it into chapters of sorts for reader accessibility. I just want everyone to know that I really really love these characters. I love them so much. After watching ALL of Cheers and Frasier, I knew I had to give my favorite characters the happy ending they deserve. I hope you like it. Please review. I love hearing reader thoughts! Enjoy :)

**Happily Ever After**

**Or**

**The Inevitable Resolution of Individuals Experiencing the Physiological Manifestations of Society's Understanding of 'Love'**

Frasier lie awake in bed, unable to sleep thanks to the snoring foghorn beside him. He really couldn't blame her though, even if he hadn't properly slept in weeks. She usually slept on her stomach, curled up with her head on his chest or else on her side, safely nestled in his arms. Now she was forced to sleep on her back and her sinuses were obviously not pleased. Trying not to wake her, Frasier silently got out of bed.

The light was already on in the kitchen. "Why aren't you asleep?" he asked the tall figure going through the fridge.

"Are you kidding? The walls aren't that thick, Dad. Can't you make her stop?" Freddy begged.

"No, I'm sorry, son. You'll be able to get some rest when you go back to school."

"Yeah, next week!" he complained. "What am I supposed to do until then?"

"Well," Frasier reasoned, "You can always do what I do."

"And what's that?"

"Come to my office and nap on the sofa in between patients."

Freddy laughed. "I think I'll pass, Dad. And by the way, thanks for letting me stay here during break. I know it was kinda last minute."

"Not at all, Freddy. You know you're always welcome. Part of the reason I stayed in San Francisco after the radio gig fell through is to be closer to you. If you had to pick a west coast school, Stanford was a good choice."

"What can I say? They're the leader in applied biomedical research technology."

"So you keep telling me," Frasier muttered, still not entirely sure what exactly his son was studying.

The Crane boys were interrupted by another voice. "What are you two doing?"

"Couldn't sleep," they replied in unison.

"I see," she replied skeptically, "And I suppose I was keeping you up again?"

Frasier could tell this was getting into dangerous territory. "We don't blame you, sweetness, not one bit. You need rest more than we do, after all."

"Frasier, I do wish you wouldn't patronize me."

"Darling, let's just go back to bed, alright? It's three in the morning."

"Very well. Good night, Frederick."

Freddy gave a nod, his mouth being full of Cheerios. Frasier chuckled, remembering the metabolism and ravenous hunger of being an 18 year old boy.

Back in their room, Frasier led her to the bed and sat her down, lovingly rubbing her back and shoulders.

"Oh thank you, Frasier. I've been so stiff lately."

"I know, my love. Just lie down and go back to sleep."

"And I'll try not to snore."

"Thank you, Lilith."

"It's the least I can do for the father of my children."

Frasier grinned. "Six more weeks until we're the proud parents of two perfect children."

"Have you been thinking of names like I asked you to?"

"Not really, no. I'm sorry."

"I must confess I haven't given it much thought either."

"Well why not start brainstorming now?" Frasier suggested with enthusiasm, propping himself up on his elbows to face her. "We could name her after my mother."

Lilith scrunched her nose in distaste. "Hester? I think not. I'd rather not have my daughter associated with the branded adulteress of literary fame. Besides, your mother never really liked me."

"But she did threaten to kill Diane," Frasier pointed out.

"Yes, that was one of her more redeeming moments. How about my mother's name?"

"Lilith, I love you, but you know I always hated your mother."

"Very well. Not Hester and not Betty. And not Maris or Daphne or Nanette or Rebecca or Diane or Carla or any name of someone associated with anyone you've ever dated. Which might be difficult, considering you spent eleven years dating the entire female population of Seattle."

Frasier didn't rise to the bait, instead conceding, "Fine. We've done a great job of eliminating names. Any you actually like?"

"How about Prudence?"

"You have got to be kidding me."

Lilith rolled onto her back in annoyance. "I don't see you offering suggestions!"

"Well I know you said no to Hester but what about my mother's middle name, Marie?"

Lilith was about to shut him down but she paused to consider. "Actually I quite like that. I like that very much. Marie Crane. It sounds smart and sophisticated and beautiful."

"Just like you, and just like our daughter," Frasier said, kissing her on the temple. "Have we really made our decision that easily? Marie?"

"We still need a middle name."

"Alright well...name some of your favorite authors, musicians and actresses. There has to be inspiration in there somewhere."

"Charlotte Brontë. Jane Austen. Joan Sutherland. Katharine Hepburn," Lilith listed off.

"There we go! How about Katharine? Marie Katharine Crane."

Lilith smiled and gently rubbed her hands along her swollen abdomen. "Marie Katharine Crane. I think it's perfect."

"Or rather, Marie Katharine Sternin-Crane."

She shook her head. "That's a bit too much. Freddy never uses my name, and I only use it for professional purposes now. When we were married for the first time, I was still enormously involved in my career, rather than in our marriage, and it became one of our downfalls. I'm older and wiser now, and I refuse to make the same mistakes. So I might be Dr. Sternin, but I am Mrs. Crane. And our daughter will be a Crane as well."

Frasier gathered his wife into his arms and held her tight. "Oh thank you, Lilith. You don't know how much that means to me."

"Of course I do. That's why I said it. I love you Frasier, and I'll always love you. It is pointless to let anything come in the way of that ever again."

The Cranes got back into bed and turned out the light once more. Lilith seemed to fall back asleep quite quickly. At her age, the strain of pregnancy had been taking a lot out of her. It was a miracle that she could get pregnant at all, but she and Frasier were certainly lucky that not only had they reconciled their differences and put their troubles behind them, but they had been able to once again conceive a child. They were both certain that their daughter would be just as wonderful as Frederick, if not more so; they were a family again and they had learned from their mistakes.

Frasier watched Lilith sleep for a while, marveling at how much he loved her. They'd certainly had a rocky path to happiness, but here they were. They had gone from hating each other to falling madly in love to hating each other once again and finally back in love. Deep down they knew they belonged together. It was pure luck that they had finally realized it.

He didn't know about Lilith, but Frasier had finally known that night that he had spent with Lilith in her hotel. They talked all night and fell asleep in each other's arms. They even broke off blind dates in order to instead spend time with each other. He had denied it, of course, but waking up with Lilith in his arms again suddenly felt right; it felt like home. In all his searching, no other woman felt so familiar and yet so new all at once. Frasier had gone on with his life, dating and searching for a woman to spend his life with. He had even followed Charlotte to Chicago, and that worked for a few months until they both just realized that, while they had fun together, neither was really ready to commit to the other. It was just too much too fast. In other words, it wasn't right.

So Frasier swallowed his pride and called Bebe, the agent from hell, and took the job in San Francisco. It was much better this way, being only a short flight from his family in Seattle, and even though the radio job hadn't worked out, he had a thriving private practice as a therapist once again. It was sheer kismet when Freddy and Lilith came to stay with him during Freddy's college tours three years earlier. Maybe it was the prospect of their son going off on his own that had made them both more vulnerable than usual, or maybe it was the joyful feeling of being a proper family again, but something had just clicked.

Frasier closed his eyes and took his memory back to that magical moment. He had been in this very bed that night. It was very late, as the three of them had stayed up long past dinner talking and having quality family time. His house was large enough that he had insisted that Freddy and Lilith stay with him, Lilith in the guest room and Freddy on the pullout sofa in his study. And a soft knock came at his door. Lilith didn't wait for him to answer and instead came right in, tiny feet padding silently across the rug.

"Frasier? Are you asleep?"

"No, Lilith. Is something wrong?"

She sat beside him on the bed, pulling her silk robe around her slender body as though it could protect her from the vulnerability she was about to expose. "I...I don't quite know how to say this..."

"You've never had a problem expressing yourself in a verbal manner before, Lilith. What seems to be the problem?"

"I don't know if it's a problem per say, but I suppose it could be construed as such, depending on your response to my..."

"Sweetheart, you're rambling," Frasier interrupted with a yawn.

"What did you call me?"

"Oh sorry. Force of habit."

Frasier couldn't see, but Lilith allowed herself to smile under the cover of darkness. "I see. I suppose that answers part of my question."

"Which would be?"

"Frasier, did this evening mean anything to you?"

He frowned, confused. "I don't think I follow..."

She scooted closer to him. "Being here with you and Frederick as a family again reawakened something in me, something I believe I had been repressing for a long time, perhaps since the last time we saw one another in Seattle and spent the night on that hotel room sofa."

"Yes, I recall. Lilith, what are you saying?" He thought perhaps he knew where she was going with this, but she couldn't mean what he thought she meant, could she?

"I think I'm saying that I miss you, and I am perhaps still in love with you, and I would like to discuss the possibility of our reconciliation and attempt to recommence a romantic relationship."

"You want me back?"

"I want you back."

"Lilith, it's been 12 years. We've both moved on," Frasier replied, repeating the trope he'd told himself and anyone who asked over the years.

She disagreed, "I married and divorced a gay man 6 years ago, and you're still single after all this time. You call that moving on? Frasier, if either of us were counseling a couple in this predicament, we would open their eyes to the obvious reality that neither party has moved on at all, despite a number of well-meaning, albeit failed, attempts."

"I suppose you are right."

"Of course I am. Can I take that to mean that you too are perhaps open to the possibility of our rekindling our relationship, to start again with the wisdom we've each garnered over the intervening years?"

"Lilith, I'm not going to pretend that that night we spent together in Seattle didn't open my eyes to that possibility, but is this really the right thing to do?" He was trying to do the smart thing, be cautious and rational. It was a futile effort.

She discarded her robe and crawled across the bed to sit straddled on top of him. "If you think this is the wrong thing to do, feel free to push me off of you. I will be disappointed but I will not allow it to ruin the good co-parenting and friendly relationship we formerly possessed before this moment."

Frasier had learned something very important from his first marriage to Lilith. He had started their relationship with a lot of talk, telling her that he would kiss her. This time, he knew the value of action over words. He ran his hands up her legs and body and pulled her down to kiss her long and hard and unlike she had ever before experienced.


	2. Chapter 2

Frasier opened his eyes and looked over at his pregnant wife beside him, still grinning over the happy memory. He leaned over to kiss her cheek softly and whisper, "I love you, Lilith. Thank you for this gift."

Lilith, waking at his gentle touch, whispered back, "And to what gift are you referring?"

"The gift of your love, of our renewed relationship, our unborn child, our family. I'm happier in this moment than I've even been in my entire life, and it's all thanks to you, thanks to the courage you had to admit your feelings to me that night. Because of you, we've been able to come together again, better than ever before."

Lilith gave a small smile. "That's funny, you've never expressed yourself to me that way before, Frasier."

"I'm older and wiser now and not surrounded by those he-man idiots at Cheers whose influence did more to stunt my human development than anything else."

She nodded gravely. "Yes, I always wondered why you insisted on remaining in their company."

"Well gosh, blossom, they were my friends," Frasier pouted.

"You've grown since then, and I'm very glad."

"I think that decade with my father and Niles really helped my growth."

"I couldn't agree more. Your family has been a wonderful influence on you. If it weren't for the way you've changed, I sincerely doubt that I would have gained any faith in the idea of our future together."

Frasier snuggled closer to her, stroking her dark hair. "Oh yes, I agree."

Lilith turned over with a great amount of effort. She wanted to look into his eyes, even in the darkness. She wanted to feel the warmth and strength of his body under her hands. She rn her fingers over his bare chest. "If I may ask, what change did you see in me that made you agreeable to my suggestion of our getting back together?"

"You know, I don't know that you have changed. You're certainly much softer now, less stressed over your career. I think that came from raising our son mostly on your own. But I think the biggest thing was that the way I saw you changed. In my attempts to move on and find love and happiness, I let go of your infidelity. I forgave you for leaving me. I moved on from that pain. And it wasn't really until perhaps about five years ago that I could finally look at you and talk to you without flashing back to standing out on a ledge to get your attention and beg you to stay. Once that tainted view of you was gone, I felt once again what I had always felt for you, especially early on in our relationship." Frasier smiled. "Remember when we first moved in together? We would kiss passionately every time one of us came home, and we would make love on the kitchen floor in the middle of the day."

Lilith smiled and hummed happily. "Mmm yes. That was a wonderful time."

"That's how I should have always seen you and treated you: with reverential lust and utter adoration. You've always been the perfect woman for me, Lilith. We can talk at length about any topic under the sun as well as passionately worship each other's bodies all through the night. You're the only woman I've ever truly loved. And I suppose that I remembered all of that when you came to me, asking for us to try again. Well, considering all of that, how could I possibly refuse?"

"Thank you Frasier. It means a lot to me to hear you say such wonderful things. And I'm going to ask you to hand me a tissue because I'm about to cry profusely."

Frasier quickly sat up and handed her a handful of tissues. "Oh darling, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to make you cry!"

She heaved herself into a seated position and tried to dry her eyes. "No I loved what you said, but it's these damn hormones. Any sort of kind sentiment leaves me blubbering," Lilith sobbed. "Quick, say something to make me feel less sentimental."

"Um...you're old and fat!" Frasier blurted.

Lilith stopped crying and started laughing and then very quickly started crying again. "I know! You don't need to remind me that I'm past my sell-by date! I'll never lose the pregnancy weight and I'll be the oldest mother in all her classes!"

Frasier gathered his hysterical wife in his arms, stroking her hair as she cried into his shoulder. "You know I was just kidding, Lilith. The weight will come right off. My god, you've never been bigger than a size two in your entire life, and this will be no different. By the time the baby is weaned off of breast feeding, you'll be just as tiny as you've always been."

"But I'll still be old!" she whined.

Frasier rolled his eyes, knowing full well that she couldn't see him. "We're all getting old. I'm older than you are. But this was our choice. We wanted another baby, even at our ages, and we were lucky enough to conceive one, even at our ages. Every day will be a miracle to behold because we're together and we're a family and we have all the love that anyone could ever imagine."

Lilith wailed, "Oh Frasier that was beautiful!"

He chuckled. "You know what, crazy lady? I'm just going to stop talking."

"Yes, that would probably be for the best."

Frasier continued to rub her back as her breathing eventually slowed. He tilted her head up so he could dry her tears. "Better?"

"Yes thank you."

"Alright, now go to sleep, my love."

Lilith took a few deep breaths before settling back down in bed. "Goodnight, daddy."

Frasier replied with a smile, "Goodnight, mommy."

The Cranes awoke the next morning feeling refreshed and happy. It was Saturday, so Frasier didn't have to work, Lilith didn't have to go her lab, and Frederick didn't have to go to school. Frasier made French toast and eggs for his family. Lilith practically salivated over the coffee she wasn't allowed to drink. Frederick sipped from his mug unknowingly as his mother sat across from him at the table, staring at him.

Frasier noticed the scene from across the countertop in the kitchen. "Frederick, stop taunting your mother. Lilith, please blink. You're scaring me."

Freddy tried to drink his coffee in a less conspicuous manner, and Lilith blinked rapidly and moved away from the table. She instead joined her husband in the kitchen. "What can I do, sugar bear?"

"Absolutely nothing, my angel. Although having you stand there looking beautiful is enough inspiration for even Michelangelo himself."

"I hate to correct such a kind compliment, but Michelangelo was gay and didn't really appreciate the female form. A better metaphor would perhaps be Leonardo who, while also gay, was very much entranced by feminine beauty and the cosmic power of a woman."

"Quite right, my love. Silly of me to make such an egregious error in my Renaissance art references."

"And even though you're lying at a hyperbolic level, thank you for saying I'm beautiful," she said with a slight blush in her pale cheeks.

"You are beautiful, Lilith! How could you possibly think otherwise?"

She scoffed incredulously. "Perhaps it would be that I just got out of bed, my hair is a mess, I can't imagine how my face looks, or maybe it's the fact that I'm almost 9 months pregnant so every part of my body is about four times the size it usually is."

Frasier put the spatula down and came over to her on the other side of the kitchen. "Darling, you're pregnant. You're carrying my child, my seed of life!"

Frederick interrupted, "Do you think you could stop right there please? I haven't even had breakfast yet. And if you two keep up this mushy stuff, I'm gonna stop coming here during my vacations."

Lilith waddled over to her son and stroked his hair lovingly. Her little boy was all grown up. It was strange to think that this almost-adult had once been inside her body just like his soon-to-be-born sister. "We're sorry, Frederick. But isn't this preferable to our constant name-calling and pointless bickering?"

"I'm not even sure anymore. At least that I understood. That was my childhood."

Frasier rolled his eyes. "Well to cut to the chase, Lilith, you're beautiful in my eyes because I love you and because you're glowing with the life that we have created. See that wasn't so bad right?"

"Well just be sure to keep it that way," Freddy warned.

They all sat down for breakfast, enjoying their casual morning as a family. Although Freddy did leave the table rather quickly when Frasier, in an attempt to play a little footsie with his wife, accidentally kicked his son in the shin. Freddy didn't say a word, instead dropping his cutlery on the plate and walking away in a typical teenager-type huff. Frasier laughed and Lilith glared at him.

"You know you cannot keep taunting him with our relationship. You weren't there, Frasier. You don't know how hard it was for him every time I had a man in my life," she explained.

Frasier frowned. He didn't like being reminded how absent he had been from his son's formative years. "You're right. I'm sorry. Maybe I should have a talk with him."

"No, you've done enough. I'll talk to him if you'll clean up the kitchen."

They both cleared the table before Lilith went down the hall to the guest room where Freddy had been staying. She knocked softly on the door. "Freddy?"

"Come in, Mom," he called.

She entered to find him seated on the bed, his laptop open beside him and his eyes glued to the screen of his cell phone.

"Texting all your friends to complain about how lame your parents are?"

He looked up at her with a small smile. "Something like that, yeah."

Lilith, with great effort and very little grace, sat down on the edge of the bed. "Alright talk to me. Your father and I have been remarried for over a year. What's bothering you?"

Freddy looked at his mother and gave a small smile. Her stern tone and expression always kept people at a distance, but he had learned over the years what a vulnerable person she really was underneath that tight bun and those high-collared power suits. And, of course, she was his mother. No matter what triumph or tragedy existed in either of their lives, she had always been there for him and loved and supported him at every turn. For the most part, it had been just the two of them. Various men had come and gone. Brian had been around for a while and they had been a nice happy family, but in the end he left just like all the others. Freddy had learned to not get attached to these men, and he, for the most part, tried to ignore his mother's personal life.

But this was different. This was his dad. He didn't actually have too many memories of his parents being together. He could remember the fights from every holiday they attempted to spend all together, and he could certainly recall the hours that they spent on the phone over the years, discussing every aspect of his life. They had successfully co-parented from opposite sides of the country. Freddy was certainly lucky to have divorced parents who were both actually good parents. There was never any doubt in his mind that they loved him. He even always suspected that they loved each other. But witnessing it first hand? That was a different matter entirely.

Freddy chose his words carefully. "Seeing you and dad together is just weird, I guess."

"How so?"

Leave it to his mom to analyze every little thing. She never let anything go until she was satisfied that she had all the relevant information. Frederick replied, "I get that you guys love each other. You got married. You're having a baby. But actually being here and seeing it is different."

Lilith nodded. "I understand. We both moved to California when you started school. You moved into your dorm at Stanford and I moved in here. You spent the summer in Seattle with your grandfather while we went on our honeymoon. You haven't actually spent a whole lot of time in this house with us since we got back together. Therefore, the emotional reality of the situation is just now catching up to the intellectual understanding of our relationship."

Freddy resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "That's right, Dr. Sternin."

"Frederick, don't be facetious. It doesn't suit you," she scolded. But her expression softened. "How can we make this transition easier for you?"

"Don't be so...weird."

"Weird how?"

"You know, talking all romantic and getting all touchy-feely. You were never like that with Brian. It's weird."

"Well you know that Brian was gay, so that was an entirely different circumstance. But I see what you mean. You were too young to remember your father and me when we were married the last time. He is a very affectionate and rather poetic man."

"Yeah I know Dad is, but you've never been like that before."

"Oh I see! It's me that's causing you distress." It suddenly dawned on Lilith that her son, in the fifteen years since she and Frasier had been divorced, had never outwardly displayed any affection for another man. It was a strange truth to face.

Frederick shrugged. "I don't think I'm really 'distressed' but yeah it's you who's acting weird."

"Part of that is the pregnancy hormones. But the fact is that I've really never been this happy before. I'm aware how jarring that must be for you. For ten years or so, you're all I had. And now there's three of us. Soon to be four."

Freddy glanced at his mother's enormous abdomen. "It's so weird to think that I'm gonna have a sister."

Lilith told her son seriously, "If you think that you might need any kind of counseling or therapy, please don't hesitate to let us know. This is a difficult transition for anyone, and your father and I just want to ensure that you're coping in a healthy manner."

"I think I'll be fine, Mom. And just so you know, I'm really glad that you found someone to make you happy. And I'm especially glad that it was Dad. He's always needed you, even when he thought he didn't."

She smiled, trying not to cry. "Thank you, Freddy. And for the record, I always needed him too."

Frederick gave his mother a hug. He could feel her sniff back tears. Those hormones were really getting to her. Something nudged him, causing him to jump. "Was that the baby?"

"Yes, she kicked." Lilith rubbed her hands where the kick had just been. "Marie, are you saying hello to your brother?" she asked.

"Marie?"

"Yes, we came up with her name last night. Marie Katharine Crane. What do you think?"

"I like it." He placed his hand next to Lilith's. "Hi, Marie."

A knock came at the door and Frasier entered slowly. "How are we doing in here?"

Lilith turned to him with a smile. "Frederick and Marie are getting acquainted."

Frasier came and sat down beside his family. He put his arm around Lilith's shoulders and whispered in her ear, "Is everything okay?"

She nodded. "We're all going to be just fine."


	3. Chapter 3

As if in some terrible joke of fate, Lilith let out a surprised and blood-chilling groan of pain, just as those hopeful words left her lips. She clutched her abdomen and squeezed her eyes shut.

Frasier jumped up immediately. "Lilith what's the matter?" he asked in a low, shaky tone.

"I don't...I don't know," she replied with a strained voice.

Frasier turned to his son. "Freddy call an ambulance."

Frederick jumped into action, dialing 911 from the phone in the living room. He explained the situation quickly but calmly and was assured that the paramedics would arrive shortly.

Meanwhile, Frasier did his best to understand the situation. "Is it contractions? Are you going into labor?"

"It's too early for me to be going into labor. It's only 34 weeks."

"False labor maybe?"

"No, I remember what contractions feel like. I don't care that it's been almost nineteen years. I'm not having Braxton-Hicks contractions, and this cannot be natural labor. My water hasn't broken and I'm not bleeding but oh my god I'm in so much pain!" Lilith screamed.

Frasier clasped her hands and let her squeeze the life out of him. Strange how such a small woman could have so much strength. "Lilith, I don't know what's happening," he admitted quietly.

"Neither do I." Her eyes met his. They both shared the same panic.

Freddy returned to the room, pale with worry. "The ambulance is on its way."

"Thank you, Freddy." Frasier spoke to his son but all eyes were on Lilith. "Sweetheart, how's the pain?" he asked, trying desperately to remain calm.

"It won't stop!" She let out another groan of anguish, gripping Frasier's hands as tightly as possible. Tears fell from her eyes.

Frasier pried his hands away and was able to scoop her up from the bed. Even pregnant, she was still a tiny thing and light as a feather. Her hands clutched at the sweater he was wearing. He did his best to soothe her as they made their way into the living room. In doing so, he was somewhat able to soothe himself. Frederick followed behind, not knowing what else to do.

Soon enough the paramedics arrived to find Lilith curled in her husband's lap on the sofa, he holding her close. She was moaning and groaning and crying. Frasier was quiet and pale. He reluctantly let the professionals take her out of his arms.

"Freddy, I'm going in the ambulance with your mother. Follow us to the hospital, alright?"

"Sure Dad. I'll see you soon."

"Thanks, son. Don't forget to lock up." Frasier spoke in a dazed, distracted tone as he hurried after his wife on a gurney. The EMTs were asking them questions but he just couldn't seem to focus enough to form any sort of answer.

Frederick watched them wheel his mother away, his father floating numbly behind. He didn't know what to do. His mother had always been the rock of the family, the stable and secure one. Never in his life had she ever not been alright. She was never sick. She never got hurt. She was never so physically vulnerable in any way. Seeing her in so much pain, so much that she couldn't even stand or properly speak, terrified Freddy more than anything he had ever experienced. He grabbed his keys and cell phone and hurried out the door.

On his way to the hospital, he made a phone call.

"Hello?"

"Uncle Niles, something really bad happened to my mom and I think my dad really needs you."

"Oh my god Freddy what happened?" Niles sounded frantic, and rightfully so.

"She just started screaming in pain. She said it wasn't contractions but she wasn't bleeding or anything but she couldn't even stand up. The ambulance is taking her and Dad to the hospital right now. I'm going to meet them there. Can you and Grandpa come?"

Niles replied without hesitation. "Of course, Freddy. I'll leave right now and pick him up. We'll get the very next flight to San Francisco."

"Thanks, Uncle Niles. Dad's really freaking out and I didn't know what else to do."

"You were right to call me. I'll see you later today, tonight at the latest."

"Great, thanks." Freddy hung up and felt the slightest bit better. It didn't change the situation, but at least he and his father would have their family to lean on.

Freddy arrived at the UCSF medical facility to find his father wandering aimlessly in the waiting area.

"Dad?"

"Oh hi, son," Frasier replied. His tone was still as distant and distracted as it had been when he left the house.

"How's Mom?" Freddy asked with concern.

"They immediately took her into surgery. They don't know exactly what's wrong but they don't want to risk anything going wrong with the baby."

"Is Mom going to be okay?"

Frasier paused and turned to really look at his son. Frederick was just as scared as he was. Frasier took his boy into his arms. "I hope so."

The Cranes sat down in the waiting room. Freddy got a text from Niles saying that he and Martin were about to board the plane and were due to arrive at SFO in just over two hours. Frederick responded that he would come pick them up when they arrived.

Frederick turned to his father. "I called Uncle Niles."

"Oh?"

"He and Grandpa are on their way."

Frasier protested, "Freddy, I don't know if that was necessary."

"Yes it is, Dad. We don't know what's gonna happen. If something does go wrong with Mom or the baby, you're gonna want them to be here. And if everything is okay, you're gonna want them to be here to meet my new sister."

Frasier put his hand on his son's shoulder. "You're right. Thank you, Freddy."

"I'll leave in two hours to pick them up from the airport."

"Hopefully we'll know more by then."

There was nothing left to do but wait.

No one came by to check in with the Cranes. Freddy tried to get some information but no one seemed to be able to help. Frasier just sat in the waiting room, numbly staring off into space.

Even though there was nothing visibly showing of Frasier's distress, his mind was churning out terrifying possibilities, each more horrible than the last. He couldn't bear it. So he did his best to focus on something positive. He thought about his Lilith and their happy milestones over the past two years.

Proposing to Lilith for the second time had been even more daunting and nerve-wracking than the first time. Back all those years ago, before he had become comfortable with his own masculinity, he had felt pushed into marriage by Lilith and had stupidly pushed back, dumping her. And knowing her man as she had, Lilith called his bluff. Of course, Frasier would have rather died than lose her. He had proposed in a desperate attempt to keep her in his life. Clearly it had worked, and they were relatively happy for seven years.

But the second time around had to be different. This time, their relationship was one of equals, of two people who knew one another better than anyone else in the world. This time it had to be perfect.

Under the guise of visiting his family, Frasier flew up to Seattle one weekend in order to get Niles and Daphne's help in choosing a ring. Niles was the more helpful of the two. In the end, Frasier chose a very simple platinum band with a three carat square-cut diamond framed by smaller diamonds. It was beautiful but understated, full class without too much flash. It was perfect for Lilith.

For the actual proposal, Frasier took her out to dinner at a five-star restaurant in Union Square. Knowing her as he did, Frasier knew that she wouldn't want anything theatrical or fussy at all. It would be best to speak from the heart and ask her sincerely.

Lilith nearly ruined it for the both of them. "Frasier, are you quite alright? You keep fidgeting with your jacket pocket, and there's a thin layer of perspiration developing on your forehead. You know, you are entering those high-risk heart attack years."

"My heart is in perfect condition, Lilith," he replied, gritting his teeth. It wouldn't do to get annoyed with her tonight.

"How can you be so sure? Niles had a bypass not three years ago."

"Sweetness, I've been exercising and eating better recently. I'm fine."

She regarded him closely and then nodded. "I suppose you're right. After all, we do get your heart rate up for extended periods at least three times a week," she pointed out with a small smirk, "and you never seem to have any trouble."

Frasier grinned and tried not to blush. "You're damn right!" he agreed with pride.

But Lilith wouldn't be distracted. She cut straight to the chase. "Is there something you want to discuss with me? You wouldn't take me out to a nice dinner and spend the entire evening as a nervous wreck if you didn't have something important in mind."

"Well since you're clearly impatient, yes. I do have something important on my mind." He reached across the table and took her small, pale hands in his larger ones. "Lilith, I want you to know how truly happy you've made me over the last year."

Her eyes widened. "Frasier, your hands are sweating."

"Well I wouldn't be nervous if you could just calm down, woman!"

"I'm sorry. Go on," she urged eagerly.

"When we decided to reconnect romantically after so many years, I have to say I was dubious. After all, we've always fought so much, and after close to a decade of animosity, could we really have a loving relationship, not marred by spite and vindictive impulses?"

"I believe we do," she answered.

"And I agree. My god I've spent years trying to find the perfect woman. I already had her. But of course, I had to convince myself that you were all wrong for me. How else could I cope with you leaving me?"

Lilith frowned. "Frasier..." she warned. He was going to a painful topic and that would get them nowhere.

"No no, I've come to realize that it was a good thing that we got divorced. I was able to grow. I was able to make the dating mistakes that I had never made before. I was able to experience life in an incredibly rewarding fashion. But after eleven years, I was still alone. And really, I was forced to accept the fact that you might not be perfect, but you, Lilith Sternin, are perfect for me. And I don't want to go another day without being able to proudly call you mine." Frasier paused to stand up from the table, pull the small velvet box from his pocket and get down on one knee in front of her. "Lilith, I love you with all my heart. Will you marry me?"

She stared at him. She didn't even look at the ring. She just stared into his eyes without blinking for what felt like an eternity. Finally, she smiled. "Yes, Frasier, of course."

Feeling a lump of emotion in this throat, Frasier laughed and placed the ring on her slender finger. She leaned down to kiss him more soundly than she would normally dare to do in a public place.


	4. Chapter 4

"Dad?"

Frederick's voice shook Frasier back to reality. "Yeah?" He turned to see a woman in dark blue surgical scrubs standing beside him.

"Dr. Crane, I'm Dr. Ling. I've been with your wife in surgery."

Frasier stood up quickly and shook the doctor's hand. "Yes, how is she?"

"We're still a long way from finishing, but we've located the source of her pain. It seems that there was a small tear in the uterine lining that became exacerbated when the baby kicked. It's extremely rare, but given your wife's age and her body type, the risks associated with pregnancy become higher."

"And the baby?"

"Both mother and child are stable for the moment, but as I said, we're far from out of the woods. We're going to do our best to prevent premature delivery, but I don't want to make any promises just yet."

Frasier nodded and asked in a small, desperate voice, "If...if you do have to deliver her, will someone come get me? I wasn't present for the birth of our first child and I promised my wife I would be there this time."

"I'll do my best for you, Dr. Crane."

"Thank you."

Dr. Ling returned to the operating room and Frasier sat back down, running his hands through his almost nonexistent hair. Frederick watched his father but said nothing. Any words of encouragement he could say were already being said in Frasier's head.

But something struck Freddy. "Dad, did you say that you weren't present at my birth?"

"Oh. Uh...yeah. Your mother never told you about the day you were born?"

Freddy shook his head.

"Well alright let me see. You remember Cheers, right? We used to take you there all the time when you were little. You and Sam got along great."

"Yeah I remember Uncle Sam."

"Well it was the day of the big 100 year anniversary of Cheers and in the middle of the party, your mother went into labor. Now, you were already a few weeks late, so we were all ready and waiting for your arrival. Sam and I took Lilith to the hospital and about twenty minutes after she was all checked in and lying in a hospital bed, the contractions stopped. The doctor said that it was false labor and we were free to go. In the next bed, however, was a young woman in labor, all alone. Sam and I went with her into the delivery room for moral support because Lilith was just waiting to be discharged. I knew we wouldn't be long and she was safe in bed, so everything was fine."

"So you just left Mom in the hospital all alone?"

Frasier frowned at the memory. "I know it wasn't the best course of action, but I can't change what happened. Anyway, when I got back, there you were, asleep in your mother's arms."

"She went into real labor while you were gone?"

"Uh...something like that, yes," Frasier replied, suddenly fascinated with his own clasped hands.

"Come on, Dad. Tell me!"

"Alright well she told me that she had been discharged and couldn't find me so she took a cab, went into labor, and gave birth in the backseat on the way back to the hospital."

"No way! I was born in a cab!?"

"No, actually she said that just to torture me. She was discharged and she couldn't find me and she was about to call a cab when her water broke for real. She was wheeled straight into the delivery room where she did give birth to you. And I missed it."

"Wow. I never knew that."

"Well I'm not very proud of it. It was just one more event in a trend of actions that made me a rotten husband and father."

"You did the best you could, Dad," Frederick said, trying to keep his father's spirits up.

Frasier sighed. "That's nice to say, but I can't take back your childhood. I wasn't there. I wanted to be, but we knew that our relationship was dead and you deserved better than to be raised amongst that kind of dysfunction."

"You guys did a great job. Is there anything wrong with me?"

"Well..." Frasier teased.

"Yeah I'm sure you could find something if you wanted to, Dr. Crane, but I turned out fine. You guys are great parents. And Dad, anything you and Mom did wrong when you were married the first time is over. You guys are great now. You're happy and everything is good. Mom and Marie are going to be fine."

"You know, you're a pretty great kid."

"That's because I'm yours. You and Mom."

Frasier smiled and patted his son on the shoulder. "Yep. You're a great kid."

The two fell silent again. Freddy got up to stretch his legs and wander around a bit. There was still almost an hour before Niles and Martin's flight got in.

Frasier lapsed back into the land of memories. Despite having two marriages, he and Lilith had been forced to have three weddings. Their first had been a quiet affair with a justice of the peace. He had tried a romantic surprise for Diane and that had blown up in his face, so he opted for something simple and easy with Lilith. She hadn't minded, as she had never been one for frills.

Their second wedding had been at the behest of Lilith's awful mother, may she rest in peace. Betty Sternin had bullied the Cranes into renewing their vows for their fifth anniversary. It was a beautiful affair and Lilith had looked more beautiful than Frasier could have ever imagined. They never actually got to the ceremony because he just had to have her right then and there.

Their third and final wedding had been by far the best. They had done it their own way and it had gone perfectly. They had invited a few friends from Boston and Seattle to come to San Francisco. Frasier's family had been there for the first time at any of his weddings. Lilith's horrible brother came as he was the only family Lilith had left and it was only fair that the Sternin side should be represented. Sam Malone flew all the way in to wish the couple well. A rabbi friend of Lilith's performed the ceremony in the courtyard of the Palace of Fine Arts in Golden Gate Park. Niles had been the best man. Daphne had agreed to be matron of honor. Since Frasier and Lilith's reconciliation, the whole Crane family had been much more welcoming to Lilith, even growing to love her. Little David, Niles and Daphne's boy, played ring bearer. Roz's daughter Alice, despite being almost too old for it, got to be a flower girl for another Crane wedding.

Being traditionalists, the couple had opted to have the customary, time-honored vows, rather than write them themselves. Lilith found that practice to be all too self-indulgent and an uncouth public display of emotions. Frasier thought the whole thing could be sweet if done correctly, but it was mostly just another thing to screw up that he didn't want to deal with.

He remembered standing there in the courtyard, under that huppah, when his Lilith came into view. If she had made a beautiful bride the last two times, he couldn't recall. She was a vision. Her dark hair, now long and flowing at her shoulders, was softly curled. It blew in the breeze from the bay. Her dress was simple and very much a reflection of her personal style. It was cream silk that flowed down her slender body like a second skin. It showed off her porcelain shoulders and the slit was just high enough to highlight her incredible legs. She seemed to float rather than walk. Frasier didn't hear anything that anyone said until the rabbi said his name.

"Do you Frasier take Lilith to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, for better or worse, in sickness and in health, to love and to honor as long as you both shall live?"

He looked into her dark eyes, shining with tears of sentimentality. "I do," he announced with a smile.

"Do you Lilith take Frasier to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, for better or worse, in sickness and in health, to love and to honor as long as you both shall live?"

"I do."

He had never felt words so deeply in his heart. He had never loved her as much as he loved her in that moment. Deep down, Frasier somehow always knew that he and Lilith would grow old together. And now here they were, reunited, just as destiny had in mind. 


	5. Chapter 5

Frederick returned to where his father was sitting, gazing off into space again. "Dad, I'm gonna go pick up Grandpa and Uncle Niles from the airport."

"Alright thanks. I'll call if there's any change."

"We'll all be back soon," Freddy assured him. He didn't like leaving his father alone, not like this.

Frasier didn't have to be alone for too long, however. Dr. Ling returned.

"Dr. Crane?"

Frasier leapt up from the chair, knocking some old issues of Time Magazine off the side table in his frantic haste. "Dr. Ling, yes. Is there any news?"

"We were able to patch the damage to the uterus and stop the internal bleeding. We ran into come complications with mild distress on the fetus, but we were able to stop the contractions for the time being. We didn't want to deliver her yet; we just want to give mom and baby a chance to recover a bit before we do anything else."

"They're both alright?" Frasier asked, dazed.

The Doctor smiled. "They're both alright. I can take you to her recovery room."

Frasier followed the doctor eagerly, pulling out his phone as he did so. Frederick picked up on the second ring.

"What happened!?"

He quickly calmed his son. "She's out of surgery. Everyone is fine."

"No baby sister yet?"

"No baby sister yet," Frasier confirmed.

"Okay great! I'm about to park at SFO. We'll be there soon to celebrate."

Frasier hung up just as they reached Lilith's room.

"She should be waking up soon," Dr. Long told him, closing the door behind her as she left.

Frasier stood just inside the doorway, staring. There was Lilith, his Lilith, lying in a hospital bed. The only other time she had been a patient in a hospital, as far as he knew, was when Frederick was born. But that was a very different circumstance. She wasn't hurt or sick or in any danger then. He had come so close to losing her this time, that he knew. Internal bleeding was very serious business. Although, how much blood she actually had was quite a mystery. That might have caused more complications for the doctors. Frasier smirked at his own joke.

He sat down in the chair beside her bed. The sheet and hospital gown ballooned over her pregnant belly. He gently took her small, pale hand in his. It was cold but soft. Frasier pressed it to his lips reverently.

"Oh my love," he murmured to her, "My darling Lilith. Seeing you like this...I realize that I've never known fear like this before. The closest thing was when Niles had heart surgery, but this was so different. You're my wife. You're carrying our child, our daughter. The idea of losing either one of you is simply unfathomable. Especially you, Lilith. I lost you once before but you never truly left me. You have always been there when I needed you, through every trial of my life for the last twenty years. You're a constant in my world, like the sun rising every morning or...like that recurring dream where Freud presents me with the Nobel Prize. I've depended on you for almost half my life. I can't imagine being without you, truly without you. And today came so close. Everything fell apart around me. Thank god Frederick inherited your cool head because I've been so useless through all of this."

He paused and squeezed her hand, reinforcing her physical presence with him. She was still there, just like she always had been and always would be. "You know," he admitted, "I was reminiscing while I was waiting in agony. Thinking back on all our happy times. When I proposed. Our wedding day. I love you now more than ever, Lilith, because in time I've come to understand how important you are to me and how much I need you. Even with our bickering and the way you scare me sometimes and those times I don't get your jokes, I'm happier with you than with anyone else in the world. The comfort of truly knowing someone and having them truly know you in return is a powerful thing." Frasier sighed. "I'm rambling, I know. You hate it when I get poetic and sentimental, but it is healthy to express powerful emotions."

Frasier stopped talking and sat with his wife silently. He held her hand the entire time. He didn't know how long he spent just staring at her. She really was quite beautiful, even after so many years. Her features were strong yet delicate. Sharp cheekbones and chin but a pleasant nose, soft jawline, and such pretty eyes. He leaned over to brush a strand of jet black hair off her forehead.

The door opened behind him. His father, brother and son walked in. They were all smiling but it wasn't with joy. It was a curious look.

Martin was the first to come over and embrace his son. He still limped with a cane, but Martin Crane was just as he always was, tough and a real man's man. "How ya doin', Fras?"

"I'm alright now, Dad. Lilith should be coming out of the anesthesia any time now. She and the baby are doing fine."

"Thank god for that. I'm glad we came, just in case."

Frasier smiled. "Me too." He greeted his brother. "Niles," he said with a nod.

"Frasier," Niles nodded back.

Freddy noticed a look pass between the brothers. "Grandpa, why don't we go see if the cafeteria has any beer?"

"You're not 21 yet, Freddy."

The college boy shrugged. "No one else has to know."

"Alright I'll let you share mine," Martin conceded, following Freddy out of the hospital room.

Once they were alone, Frasier asked Niles, "Alright what do you want to say?"

Niles sat down in the extra chair beside his brother. "Frasier, do you remember how wary I was of your reconciliation with Lilith?"

"Yes, Niles, I do. You hardly let me forget it. Never mind that Daphne finally loves her and Dad even likes her, you haven't seemed to warm up to Lilith. Despite your past...relationship."

"Frasier, we agreed to never speak of it!"

"Well isn't that the source of your reticence to accept her?"

"Of course not." Niles explained, "I was worried that you were simply falling back into old patterns, regressing to what was familiar instead of embracing change. In short, I believed that you convinced yourself to take her back rather than forge ahead on your own. You would rather return to a loveless marriage than risk being alone for the rest of your life."

"I resent that! No matter what problems Lilith and I had during our first marriage, it was never ever loveless on either of our parts. Although yes, I was perhaps afraid of never meeting someone. But don't you think it's worked out for the best?"

"Until this moment, Frasier, I wasn't convinced."

Frasier was caught off-guard and was frankly getting offended by his brother's inquiries. "Why not? Wasn't our wedding a good enough indicator of our relationship?"

"It was a beautiful wedding. Lilith looked gorgeous. You both seemed very happy. But everyone who wants to get married is happy on their wedding day. But what I just witnessed here has convinced me."

"What do you mean?"

Niles smiled softly. "The tender display you've shown to the woman who you once cursed to hell and caused you more pain than should ever be inflicted upon a person is proof that people change."

"In this instance, Niles, I disagree."

"Oh?"

"People don't change. Relationships change. Lilith is the same woman I married twenty years ago. She is the same woman who bore my son and she is the same woman who left me for another man. But she is also the woman who apologized for the hurt she caused and asked me to take her back. She is the woman who has been making an effort every single day to put our relationship first and to make this marriage a happy one." Frasier glanced at Lilith's still unconscious form with pride.

"And I can see that in the way you feel about her. I see in you the same undying, nearly desperate love I have for my Daphne. You adore that tiny vampire woman," Niles teased.

Frasier smiled. "I really do. I love every last bloodless inch of her."

"Would you two cut it out?" A third voice joined the conversation. Lilith blinked her eyes open as she hoarsely chided the Cranes.

Frasier was instantly at her side. "I'm so sorry, sweetness. How are you feeling?"

She shifted, taking inventory of her body. "I think I'm alright. They put me under in the ambulance. What happened, Frasier?"

"I'm afraid your apprehensions over getting pregnant at your age were not unfounded," he began.

"Of course they weren't unfounded. I'm a scientist and a doctor. Of course I knew the risks," she interrupted.

"May I finish?"

"I'm sorry, yes. Please continue."

Frasier proceeded to tell Lilith everything Dr. Ling had told him. Niles listened in as well, getting caught up on the proceedings of the day.

Lilith listened closely, taking everything in with a furrowed brow. Her hands unconsciously ended up on her abdomen, protecting the baby inside her. She exhaled in relief once Frasier finished. "I'm glad she didn't have to be delivered. Although I will be shocked if I can carry her to term. More likely they'll have to do a Caesarian sometime in the near future."

"And I'll be right there beside you through the whole thing," Frasier promised.

"You better be," she warned. "You aren't getting off the hook like last time."

"I told Frederick that story in the waiting room. You never told him about the day he was born?"

Niles chimed in, "I don't think I've heard that story."

Lilith gave a very small smile. "Hello, Niles. Nice of you to come to support Frasier and Frederick through this trying time."

"Dad is with Frederick in the cafeteria," Frasier informed her.

"Well that was certainly quick," she commented. "How long have I been out?"

"Freddy called us on his way to the hospital and we took the first flight out." Niles explained.

Lilith's voice softened. "Thank you."

Niles just nodded at her. He turned back to his brother. "So about Frederick's birth?"

"Well I'm not going to tell the story again. Suffice it to say that the doctors told us it was false labor. I went to help another woman while Lilith was waiting to be discharged. By the time I got back, she was holding our son in her arms."

"You missed your son's birth!?" Niles exclaimed with unabashed amusement.

"By being a Good Samaritan, yes."

Niles tried to stifle his gleeful laughter. "You never told me that!"

"Of course not, why would I?" Frasier replied, getting annoyed.

Lilith stepped in, figuratively, to keep the peace. "Boys, calm down. Need I remind you that there is another unborn child here? Not many men get a second chance."

Frasier smiled proudly at her, caressing her cheek. "And you've given me more second chances at things than I deserve."

"Don't be so self-deprecating. You know I wouldn't be so charitable as to give you any chance you didn't deserve. And it is you who gave me just as many opportunities to redeem myself."

"And redeem you have," he told her sweetly.

Niles was feeling rather awkward. "Yes aren't we all wonderful. I'm going to go get Dad and Freddy. They'll want to see you." He quickly made his way out of the room. 


	6. Chapter 6

Alone at last, Frasier leaned in to kiss his wife's cheek softly.

"What was that for?" she asked with a small smile.

"I'm not going to tell you because you'll get mad at me."

She frowned. "Well now you have to tell me."

"Alright fine. Just before Niles and Dad arrived, I was looking at you and thinking about how beautiful you are and how much I love you."

"How disgustingly sentimental."

"You see why I wasn't going to tell you?" he chuckled.

"I'm sorry. I should never chide you for expressing your feelings for me. Even if it does still make me uncomfortable."

"Still? After all this time?" Frasier asked, stroking her hair again.

"I've never really gotten used to it. You were the first man who ever really loved me, Frasier. When we first started dating, I never really believed that anyone could ever feel about me as you did. I think I often pulled away because I was afraid of the depth of your feelings."

"Lilith, I've never heard you open up like this."

"I'm on a lot of medication and my hormones are still all over the place and I just had a near death experience. Just go with it."

"I wasn't complaining!" Frasier insisted, holding his hands up in defense.

She continued, "Well I think somehow you did let me get used to being desired and loved. When the flame of our passion had subsided, I found myself with another man, so different from you who also wanted me. I couldn't quite believe that either. But I was so desperate for something to stimulate my life, I submitted to my baser desires. And, of course, we all know how that ended up."

"Yes..." Frasier agreed bitterly.

Lilith didn't bother addressing his interjection. "And in the years after our divorce, I somehow managed to find other men who wanted me."

"Oh yes, like Brian," he pointed out with rancor.

"He did love me, in his way. And I loved him. But he loved men more and that simply isn't any way for a heterosexual marriage to survive."

"Well put."

"Thank you. I've had quite a while to come to terms with it. In the end, Frasier, I never did find anyone who loved me the way you did because no other man could ever love me as you do. No other man could ever make me feel as you do."

Frasier's smile had returned. "And how is that?"

"I believe you," she said simply.

He didn't quite follow. "Oh?"

"I believe you when you tell me you love me. I believe you when you call me beautiful. But I also believed all those terrible things you said to me and about me in jest with your friends and in anger during our breakup."

Frasier took her had and kissed it. "All that is in the past, my darling."

"I know. As is the Lilith who would have never examined these feelings enough to put them into words or ever imagine saying them to you."

"I'm glad you did."

"So am I. It's healthier for me and for our relationship and for our family."

"You see, honey? You're growing!"

She chuckled. "Yes, I suppose I am. And just in time, too. We're going to have a daughter to raise very soon."

"I know! And while I'm terribly excited to meet our little Marie Katherine Crane, I'm quite relieved she hasn't arrived yet." Frasier's voice started happy and excited, but as he reached the end of his sentiment, his tone mimicked the fear in his eyes.

"We're both fine now," Lilith assured him. "We're all going to be just fine." She pulled Frasier close to her and kissed his lips in a loving, almost reverent fashion.

"See? Why do you have to be weird?" Freddy asked, annoyed. He walked into the hospital room to greet his mother and was punished with yet another blatant display of affection between his parents.

Martin limped in behind him and laughed. "Lighten up, Freddy. How do you think you got here?"

Niles frowned at his father. "Let's not scar the boy."

Frasier had stood up by this point and put a respectful distance between himself and his wife. "Would you all give it a rest? You know, some people knock before they enter a room."

"Everyone shut up," Lilith said. Her voice was low but strong and forceful. They all turned to her. Something was wrong. Whenever Lilith resorted to colloquialism, she was very upset, too upset to string together grammatically impeccable sentences with impressive vocabulary.

Lilith looked down but couldn't see past her stomach. "Did my water break? Or am I bleeding?" she asked calmly. All she could feel was wetness.

Sure enough, a dark pool was forming in the sheets, almost black. Frasier's face lost its color.

Freddy turned and went out the door. "I'll go get the doctor," he explained behind him.

Lilith looked at Frasier. "Judging by your face, I'm going to say blood." She turned to Niles and Martin. "I'm fairly certain that I'm going to pass out soon, so I'll say this quickly. No matter what happens, you take care of my son. You take care of my husband. You take care of my daughter. Because if it comes down to a choice, I choose her. You tell them that. You make Frasier tell them that. Promise me, Martin." She said it like a command, but they all knew it was a plea. The Crane patriarch nodded stoically.

With that Lilith slumped back in the hospital bed and all the monitors and machines began ringing wildly. Frasier tried to go to her, but Niles held him back, pushing him out of the way as doctors and nurses burst into the room. Freddy followed them in and stood back by his grandfather, silent tears streaming down his face.

Up until now, everything seemed to Freddy like it would be alright. But this was too much. His mother was unconscious. She was bleeding profusely. The nurses started wheeling her away, back into the operating room. Dr. Ling called behind her, "Dr. Crane, we'll have to deliver your daughter. You'd better come with us."

Niles gave his older brother a small push and Frasier hurried along behind the caravan. Frederick, Martin and Niles were left alone. Silently waiting. Silently panicking. Silently praying.

"Frasier somehow found Lilith's hand and held on to it tight, feeling as though something terrible would happen if he let go. It was all he could do to walk and keep holding her hand.

When they reached the OR, the nurses put gloves and caps and so forth on Frasier. He wouldn't let go of her hand.

Lilith stirred. "Frasier?" she breathed.

"Yes, my love. I'm here. We're going to meet our daughter. Stay awake just a little longer, Lilith, alright?" he begged.

She tried to nod but couldn't. She didn't have the strength to even open her eyes.

The doctors were moving at lightning speed. Within seconds, Dr. Ling made the incision. A moment after, she asked Frasier to cut the cord. He did so with one hand, marveling at the newborn infant. But she wasn't moving. She wasn't crying. Dr. Ling handed her off to another doctor.

"What's wrong?" Frasier asked frantically. But then he heard it. The loud, wailing bawl of a newborn. Frasier started to tear up.

"Is that her?" Lilith asked, her voice barely a whisper.

"That's her. She's okay," he assured her. Lilith's lips turned up in the corners.

"Dr. Crane, I need to perform surgery now. You'll have to leave. A nurse will keep you informed on the status of your wife and daughter and someone will be by to have you fill out the paperwork."

He nodded and kissed Lilith's forehead through the mask he was wearing. 'You keep fighting. You've never given up on me before. Don't give up on us now."

Frasier was then escorted out of the room. He stood outside the doors, staring at the wall. He was a father again. He had a daughter. A baby girl he and Lilith created. Now all he needed was Lilith.

"Fras?"

Frasier turned to see his family coming towards him. They all were pale with worry.

"Lilith is in surgery. That's why they made me leave," he explained, his voice dazed and distant once again. He blinked a few times, reorienting himself with the present. A small smile spread over his face. "But we have a baby girl."

Martin, Niles and Frederick all grinned and congratulated him.

"Way to go, Frasier!"

"Congratulations, that's wonderful."

"I have a sister!"

"Thank you all. Hopefully we'll all get to see her soon. I heard her cry and that was it." A shadow of worry returned to Frasier's face.

"I'm sure she's fine," Niles said encouragingly.

"Yeah they'll come out and tell you once mother and daughter are both all gussied up to receive visitors," Martin agreed, forced cheer wildly evident in his voice.

Freddy put a hand on his father's shoulder and said nothing. Frasier looked into his son's eyes, so full of fear and worry. Frasier said to him quietly, "She wouldn't leave us. Not again. She promised."

"That would be a faux-pas that Lilith simply wouldn't abide," Niles added.

Martin's mind immediately wanted to make some kind of 'undead witch vampire that can't be killed' joke, but even he knew that was in poor taste. Besides, he had learned to like Lilith. Hell, he even loved her. She was a great mom and despite everything from the past, boy did she make Frasier happy. She was brilliant and she matched him at every turn. And once every so often, she even made Martin laugh. Seeing his son so happy and well-adjusted was the greatest gift anyone could ever give, and Lilith had done it. Martin would always love her for that. He smiled at the thought.

"Dad?" Niles noticed his father's odd expression.

"Oh sorry, I was just thinking. Hey remember last summer when you all came up to Seattle for 4th of July?"

Frasier smiled again. "Oh gosh yes. You were annoyed that you wouldn't be able to see the fireworks from your house so Lilith solved the problem."

"Daphne just yelled at me to quit whining and Ronnie tried to say there was nothing we could do and Lilith just stood up and said 'Oh yes we can' and left the house. That's one determined woman you've got, Fras."

Niles laughed and continued the story, "Yes, and she went to a nearby lab and 'borrowed' a few things."

By this point, Martin was having trouble getting the words out because he was laughing too hard. "The next thing we know, she's out in the driveway with all kinds of powders and chemicals, getting all dirty from sitting on the ground."

Freddy grinned with pride. "Sometimes she forgets about expectations of decorum. That's when we always have fun."

Frasier brought the image of his wife on Independence Day to his mind. She had been wearing jeans and a white blouse with the sleeves rolled up so they wouldn't get in the way while she worked. Her causally braided hair was starting to come undone, a few tendrils of hair falling over her cheeks. She didn't push them away because she was too busy.

Martin finished the story in hysterics. "And what do you know? Buttoned up bun-head made fireworks in my front yard using stolen chemicals!"

"It was awesome," Freddy noted happily. "I don't even care than she almost singed my hair off."

"Well she did apologize," Niles pointed out.

Frasier smiled. Yes, his Lilith was capable of amazing things. That's how he knew she would pull through. She was strong, stronger than any other woman he had ever known. Stubborn and strong and intense and absolutely wonderful. The cruel little voice in the back of Frasier's mind, however, couldn't help but wonder if the last time he saw her would be on an operating table, using her last ounces of strength to ask about their newborn daughter. He didn't even get to tell her how much he loved her. But surely she knew, right? Of course she did. Lilith knew him better than he knew himself. Of course she knew.


	7. Chapter 7

A nurse came by after a few moments. He carried a clipboard and a pen. "Dr. Crane? I have the paperwork for your daughter."

Frasier took the forms and filled them out as best he could. It felt so wrong doing this without Lilith. But he knew she would be angry if she found out he procrastinated on important documents for a sentimental purpose. There was one small comfort, however. It was the first time he got to write their daughter's name. Marie Katharine Crane. It was lucky they had come to that agreement just the night before. Frasier couldn't believe it was so recent. It felt like an age ago they had gone to sleep side by side, happy and safe, eager for their future together.

Frasier didn't say anything as he filled out the various forms and retuned them to the nurse's station. His family looked on but didn't question anything. Niles was dying to know what they had decided to name the baby, but he somehow felt that being introduced to his niece when Lilith was still in surgery wasn't right. Martin felt the same way. He was relieved his granddaughter was alright, but now they had to focus on Lilith. He'd be happy when they were both together and smiling and beautiful.

They waited for what felt like a very long time, though thankfully not as long as Frasier had waited during the first surgery. Dr. Ling came out with a smile. Frasier ran over to her.

"Dr. Crane, both your wife and daughter are doing fine."

The Cranes all sighed in relief.

"Your daughter is surprisingly well developed for being premature. She'll actually be ready to go home before mom is. But your wife went through surgery just fine. I was worried after the surgery this morning that the repairs wouldn't hold, and I was right. I wanted to give the baby as much time as possible. But the tear extended further. That's why there was so much bleeding. So by delivering the baby, I had better visibility. Your wife is going to have a lot of internal scarring but she will make a full recovery."

"So Lilith is gonna be fine?" Martin asked in confirmation.

"She won't be able to conceive any more children, but at her age..."

Frasier nodded. "Yes, we know we were lucky to conceive at all at her age. That won't be a problem."

"Other than that, she is going to be absolutely fine. We'll have to keep her for a few days, possibly up to a week, but barring any complications, everything should heal nicely."

Frasier shook the doctor's hand in gratitude, as did the rest of the Cranes. "When can I see her?"

Dr. Ling smiled. "I'll take you to her now. She came off anesthesia a while ago, so she might be awake already. I wanted to check on the baby before I gave you the news."

Everyone followed the doctor to Lilith's room. Frasier went in first. His family waited outside.

"Frasier, where have you been?" Lilith's tone was stern but her face betrayed her worry.

He rushed to her side. "The doctor just gave me the news. I came as soon as they let me."

"And?"

"Our baby girl is just fine. And you're going to be fine too."

"She doesn't have any defects or underdevelopments?"

"Dr. Ling said she was surprisingly developed for a pre-me. I heard her cry after she was delivered."

"Yes so did I. At least I think I did. You were there, weren't you?"

"I promised I would be. And I do try much harder to keep my promises to you now."

Lilith smiled. "You've done a great job so far."

Frasier caressed her cheek with the back of his hand and gently stoked her hair. "I was so scared."

She took his hand in hers and pressed it to her lips. "I know. I'm sure you've been staring off into space, forcing your mind away from the present. Perhaps recalling happier memories?"

He smiled. "You know me so well."

"Yes I do. No wonder I was useless for all other men. My mind and my heart have always been full with you."

"I don't know what I ever did without you."

"Actually, neither do I," she replied with mock wonderment.

"But in all seriousness, darling, I've never before been in the situation where you were vulnerable, in actual real danger. And frankly, it scared the hell out of me."

"If it makes you feel better, I have no intention of ever going through another risky pregnancy again. Although I'm fairly certain I wouldn't be able to even if I wanted."

"The doctor did say that you wouldn't be able to have any more children," Frasier informed her.

Lilith took a deep breath and processed the information. She nodded. "And that's quite alright. Marie is alright and I'm fine and that's all that matters."

"Exactly." Frasier kissed her forehead and cheeks, reveling in the feel of her soft, cool skin beneath his lips.

Lilith could tell that her husband was getting somewhat overwhelmed. The emotion he had held at bay was starting to leak out. If she didn't do something, she'd never be able to get him to stop blubbering. "Frasier, darling, why don't you go and get Freddy? And your father and Niles. I'd like to see them."

"You want to see them?"

"They're our family and they came all this way to support you. And I think you could use a few extra shoulders to lean on."

"I suppose you're right." Frasier went to the door to let everyone in.

Frederick immediately ran to his mother's side and threw his arms around her. She winced slightly, having just come from two major surgeries in one day, but she was more than happy to have her son in her arms again.

"I didn't know if you were gonna be okay," he said quietly, his voice muffled into her neck.

"What did I always tell you, hmm? I'm always okay. I'll always be here. You never have to worry about me. Especially now. Did you really think I'd leave you?"

Niles interjected, "That's what I said. You'd never abide such a thing."

"Quite," she agreed.

"I just figured you couldn't die," Martin added with a shrug.

"Because I'm already one of the undead, is that it?"

"Something like that, yeah."

Lilith smiled at her in-laws. They were such good people. And they had finally accepted her, finally understood that she was the best person for Frasier and she would never again make the mistake of taking his love for granted. She counted her blessings every day for the fact that she was a Crane.

Freddy sat up and wiped his eyes. Knowing he was among family, he didn't have to pretend to be a big tough teenager. Lilith handed him a tissue. He blew his nose and then asked, "When do I get to meet my sister?"

"I don't know." She turned to her husband. "Frasier, what did they say?"

"Nothing, just that she was alright. I was more concerned about you at the time. But I did fill out the paperwork. Birth certificate and all that."

"Oh good, I'm glad. You spelled everything correctly?"

"Yes, Lilith. I spelled everything correctly. My god, woman, I went to Harvard and Oxford. I think I did just fine."

"Well in the high emotionality of the moment, I just want to make sure that our daughter won't be scarred for life with a misspelled name."

Frasier rolled his eyes. "I'm going to go ask a nurse."

"Thank you. If she isn't hooked up to machines and things, I would like to hold my daughter," Lilith called after him.

After about fifteen minutes, Frasier returned to the room carrying a pink bundle. He was grinning from ear to ear. "Everyone, we have a new member of the family."

He immediately went over to place her in Lilith's arms. Looking at her daughter, Lilith felt overwhelming joy. She tried to blink away the tears.

"Lilith, are you crying?" Niles asked in shock.

"Well wouldn't you? Just look how perfect she is, even with this insufferable pink thing."

Everyone crowded around to get a look at her. Martin was the one to finally ask, "So what's her name?"

Frasier looked to Lilith. "Darling, I thought you should be the one to tell."

"Everyone," Lilith announced with pride, "this is Marie Katharine Crane."

Martin grinned and clasped Frasier on the shoulder proudly. Niles smiled, marveling at his tiny niece. Freddy just stared at her, amazed that this tiny pink blob was his sister, the little girl he would protect and love until the day he died.

Lilith spent almost two weeks recovering in the hospital. Freddy spent as much time as he could with his mother and sister before he had to go back to school. Frasier canceled all his patients and spend every moment possible with his family.

Niles and Martin had returned home to Seattle, but Daphne flew down to stay in the guest room in order to help with the baby. Lilith was still recovering and the family didn't want to tax her too much. She protested but eventually gave in, knowing it was for Marie's best interests. Frasier had to go back to work, and if anything happened, God forbid, someone would be in the house with Lilith to help.

It was another month after that before everyone was healthy and where they belonged. Frasier, Lilith, and Marie were left on their own. They settled into a comfortable routine. The three Cranes were radiant with joy. Never mind that Marie had colic and never let anyone sleep. Never mind that Frasier lost two patients who were shockingly impatient while he took his short paternity leave. Never mind that Lilith was at risk of losing her position at the lab because of her absences over the months. All in all, everything was just as it should have been. As Frasier predicted, Lilith lost all the baby weight by the time Marie was six months old. She was just as trim and petite as always. Marie was growing into the most gorgeous girl. She was pale like her mother and had inherited her dark hair, but she had Frasier's piercing blue eyes. It was an extremely appealing combination. She had everyone wrapped around her little finger. Marie Crane was the most loved little girl there had ever been. And it was all because her parents loved each other more than they could have imagined was possible.

Frasier stood beside his daughter's crib watching her sleep. He could hardly believe that he had helped create something so perfect. Lilith tiptoed in to join him. She wrapped her arms around his torso from behind, snuggling into his back.

"We've really done it, haven't we?"

"Done what?" she whispered back.

He turned to face her. They gazed at their baby girl together. "We've gotten our happy ending."

"Real life doesn't have happy endings, Frasier. The concept is a societal construct and…"

Her words were lost as Frasier's lips found hers. They kissed passionately for a moment before Lilith pulled away breathless.

"Yes. Happily ever after," she agreed with a smile.

Frasier leaned into the crib to kiss Marie goodnight and took Lilith back to their bedroom. _Happily ever after indeed._


End file.
